A tasty and nutritious lunch in Cherokee County public schools is on the menu with the help of two food professionals in the school system that are competing for top honors with their recipes at an upcoming state competition.

Now they are on their way to the final round of state competition, which will take place during the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s annual conference April 11 to 14.

With Cannon’s Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla recipe and Morrow’s Festive Roasted Summer Veggies recipe, the duo beat out fellow colleagues in their district to be selected as two of 20 school nutrition professionals from across the state to compete in the final round of the state competition.

With new national nutrition standards in place for all school meals, cafeterias are required to serve more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and cut sodium, calories and trans-fat.

Recipes in the competition were judged by chef instructors from LeCordon Bleu and must appeal to students’ palates, reflect the new nutrition standards and be either a Red/Orange Vegetable Side Dish, Legume Side Dish or Meatless/Vegetarian Entree.

The top three winning recipes will be announced at the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s Annual Conference.

GSNA is a nonprofit professional organization representing more than 6,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the state. Founded in 1951, GSNA is devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children’s health and well-being through school meals and sound nutrition education.

DIRECTIONS: Mix the first 7 ingredients in a sauce pan until it starts to boil then lower the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes until it is heated to an internal temperature of 140 degrees for 15 seconds. Place tortilla shells on a sheet pan and place 1 oz. of mozzarella on each shell then place a 3oz. scoop of the bean mixture on the shell. Fold the shell in half. Cover the sheet pan with foil and seal to make sure that the product will not dry out. Preheat the oven 325 degrees F and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 140-155 degrees for 15 seconds. Can be served with these condiments: Sour cream, salsa, lettuce and tomatoes, hot sauce Makes 17 servings. Festive Summer Roasted Veggies by Wendy Morrow Number of Portions: 10 Size of Portion: 1/2 cup 8.5 ounces peppers, sweet, red, raw 8.5 ounces peppers, sweet, orange, raw, medium 8.0 ounces zucchini squash, including skin, raw 8 ounces crookneck and straightneck squash, raw 5 ounces red onions, raw 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 Tablespoon table salt ¾ Tablespoon Italian seasoning mix

*We welcome your comments on the stories and issues of the day and seek to provide a forum for the community to voice opinions. All comments are subject to moderator approval before being made visible on the website but are not edited. The use of profanity, obscene and vulgar language, hate speech, and racial slurs is strictly prohibited. Advertisements, promotions, spam, and links to outside websites will also be rejected. Please read our terms of service for full guides